Post.



PATE'NTED FEB. 28, 1905.

I]. E. PGRTER.

POST

AIPLIQATIOII FILED 1mm 30, 1904.

but fret Patented February 28, 1905.,

rtTlfjhi'T tribe.

AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 INI)ESTRU(J'.FIBLE FENCE POST COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF hLlASSAUl-IUSIPYTTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,703, dated February 28, 1905, Application filed June 30,1904. seal No. 214,711.

To (LZZ wlz/omjt mm/y concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL R. Pon'rnn, of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of ldassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Posts, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to posts adapted for use in fences, building-foimdations, etc, and particularly to posts constructed partly of cement and partly of metal.

The invent-ion has for'its object, first, to provide certain improvements relating to the formation and protection of the cement portion of a composite post; eeondly, to prevent the displacement of the post by frozen earth surrounding it, and, thirdly, to provide a post,

adapted for corners of wire fences.

The invention consists in the innn'ovements whiclrl will now n'oceed to describe and claim. I

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, liigu re 1 represents a perspective View of a post embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section showing the means for preventing displacement. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the paper mold or casing which covers the cement portion. Fig. at represents a perspective View of the lower portion of a post having arms at its lower end.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

in the drawings, 0/ represents a tubular metallic post member, which is n'e'ferably formed from a length of gas or water pipe.

represents a base member or enlargement formed on the lower portion of the member (1/, said base being composed of cement and molded on the member a while the cement is in a plastic condition, the said base being formed to entirely cover the lower end of the member a. The base 7) is provided at its upper end with a shoulder I). The lower end of the base Z) is preferably formed with a penetrating portion Z), which may be conical, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The length of the base 6 should be so proportioned to the total height of the post that when the upper end projecting part.

in making the said post I provide a mold m, of suitable flexible sheet material, such as stout paper, preferably of the kind commonly known as sheathi1ig-pa )er. The mold may be conveniently made by rolling a sheet of paper into 'a tube or scroll and cementing or otherwise securing the edges of the sheet together. When the base 7) is to have a pointed lower end, the bottom of the mold is correspondingly formed. The mold being held in a vertical position, the post a is placed in the center of the mold and the space surroumling the post within the mold is filled with cement in a plastic condition, the cement being forl'ned by. the mold and c i nstituting the base t. The paper absorbs moisture from the surface of the molded base, and thus facilitates the set ting or hardening of the cement. \Vhen the base has become suitably hardened, the post is ready for use. The mold conforms exactly to the exterior of the base and adheres closely thereto, so that it constitutes a protective easing or wrapper which is particularly useful when the post is being shipped and handled. The cheapness of the mold makes it practicable to leave it permanently on the molded base. Hence there is no such liability of breaking or cracking the base as would exist if it were necessary to separate the base from the mold, it being well known that cement has a tendency to adhere to a mold. in which it has been formed unless the mold is carefully lubricated before the introduction of the coment. The employment of a paper mold adapted to remain permanently on the base molded therein obviates the necessity of hibricating the mold.

a represcntsasleeve which is placed loosely on the upper portion of the base 6 and has an inwardly-projecting shoulder a resting on the upper end of the base. The object of the sleeve is to prevent the post from being displaced. by the freezing of the earth snrronndingthe upper end of the base. The expalrsion of earth due to freezing causes it to lift and loosen a post embedded therein. The sleeve is of such length that it is the only part of the post that encounters the frozen crust of earth, and as it is free to rise independently its upward displacement does not affect the post. The sleeve may be of molded concrete, earthenware, metal, or other suitable material.

The improved post may be used for fences, buildingfoundations, and other purposes. WVhen adapted for use as a part of a buildingfoundation, the metal member a will project above the base only far enough to enter a sill of the building, the sill being driven down upon the metal member until it bears on the base.

It will be seen that a post thus constructed is relatively inexpensive and is extremely durable, besides being adapted to be driven into ground that is relatively soft and free from stone. The inoxidizable nature of the base 5 prevents rusting of the portion of the post that is below the surface of the ground.

WVhen the post is intended as a corner-post for a wire fence, the metal member a may have branches at a at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 4:, said branches extending substantially at right angles with each other and with the metal member. The base 7) is provided with arms I) 7f, mold ed upon the branches (4. Said arms give the post a suitably-extended bearing on the earth beneath the arms to prevent the corner-post from yielding to the side strain upon it by the fence-wires.

1 claim 1. A post comprising a metallic member having its lower end provided with horizontal branches, and a cement base molded upon the lower portion of said member, said base having arms molded upon said branches and conforming to thecontour thereof.

2. A post comprisinga base having a shoulder at its upper portion, a reduced member projecting above said shoulder, and a loose sleeve seated on said shoulder and surrounding the upper portion of the base.

3. A post comprising a metallic member, a cement base molded upon the lower portion of the said member, and a flexible casing of absorbent material adhering to the exterior of the base.

4. A post comprising ametallic member, a cement base molded upon the lower portion of the said member and a casing of absorbent paper adhering to the exterior of the base.

In testimony wherof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL R. PORTER.

Vitnesses:

P. W. PEZZETTI, E. BATCHELDER. 

